FSA urges focus on hygiene in bird flu scare
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is urging pubs to follow food hygiene procedures strictly in the wake of the outbreak of avian flu at a Bernard Matthews turkey farm in Suffolk.
The FSA said it believes avian flu does not pose a food safety risk for UK consumers. It repeated guidance from the World Health Organisation (WHO) that in areas free from the disease, poultry and poultry products can be prepared and eaten as usual by following good hygiene practice and proper cooking.
When handling raw poultry, the person involved in the food preparation should:
- wash their hands thoroughly
- clean surfaces and utensils in contact with the poultry products
If the virus is present in meat or eggs, the FSA said it is easily killed by cooking.
Government vets and scientists are still trying to identify the cause of the outbreak. The Suffolk plant has strict procedures in place to prevent infection. A Bernard Matthews spokesman has told the media that none of the affected birds had entered the food chain and so there is no risk to public health.
The Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra) has imposed a Protection Zone of three kilometres radius and a Surveillance Zone of 10 kilometres around the site. In this area, movement restrictions are imposed and poultry must be isolated from wild birds.
A wider Restricted Zone has also been imposed, covering east Suffolk and South East Norfolk bounded to the west and the north by the A140 and A47 respectively. This requires the isolation of poultry from wild birds, and requires movements to be licensed.
